Damn them. Damn them both to fucking hell for being right.
I want to kill him. Tear the fucking head off his body, finish the job that Cat started and take off his fucking hands myself.
He fuckingtouchedher.
My heart pounds inside my chest, the pumping sound harsh in my ears as Joseph Corvo stands, his eyes sweeping over thefucking filth whining as he tries to pull his hand free. Even Stefano looks repulsed as he watches him.
Caterina’s father leans forward and rips out the dagger. As Salvatore howls, Joseph turns the blade over in his hands, his expression considering.
Bland.
Then he offers him the fucking handle. “I trust the matter is concluded?”
Cunt.
I’m glad Cat isn’t here as Salvatore grits his teeth, taking the blade with his other hand. “It is.”
“Good.” Joseph flicks his eyes over us all. And then he walks out.
Just walks out, like he doesn’t give a flying fuck that his daughter was just assaulted by his so-called friend. The bile rises again in my throat at the casual dismissal.
Gio disappears with his father, and Luc gives me a final look before following Paul Morelli out of the room. My own father returns to my side. “Let’s go.”
Nodding slowly, I begin to follow him out, and then pause.
Turning, I walk back to where Salvatore is tugging off his tie and wrapping it around his bleeding hand. As he starts to turn around, my hand shoots out.
The sound as his face meets the heavy table in front is satisfying as fuck, even as my father groans. Asante slumps to the side, unconscious.
When I meet Stefano’s eyes, I’m ready. But he only nods.
And I wonder, not for the first time, about his relationship with his father.
My own castigates me in irritated tones as we walk to our respective cars, but I don’t give a fuck.
There’s only one thing I care about right now.
And I break every single fucking speed limit in the Tri-state area getting back to her.
Chapter twenty-five Caterina
There will be a reckoning for tonight.
Danny is silent in the car, but I can feel his eyes on me. Tugging my skirt down as far as it will go, I curl up on the seat, shivering. When heat blasts through despite the warm evening, I blink back tears. “Thank you.”
“Sure, Cat.” His voice is quiet. “You okay?”
“Fine.”
My voice breaks, and I clamp down. I push down every bit of emotion riding me, shoving it into the overflowing box in my head and locking that shit down.
I just need to get home. Home, behind the walls of my apartment.
When we stop, I don’t wait for Danny to open the car door. Don’t wait for the Crows to check the area. Blindly, I climb out, almost stumbling in my heels. I head straight for my front door as curses echo behind me. The sound makes me flinch, and Ibite down on my lip until I taste blood, undoing the locks and slipping inside.
For once, I check every single lock without being told.
Then I check it again.
